Collapsible cart



' April 26, 1932 R. BROWN 1,855,567

COLLAPS IBLE CART Filed May 15, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 1 April 26, 1932. 4 R H BROWN 1,855,567

COLLAPS IBLE CART Filed May l5, 1929 2 Sheets-Shes*v 2 Patented Apr. 26, 1932 NETE@ STTS p REINHARDT I-I. BROWN,

OF LA PORTE, INDIANA COLLAPSIBLE CART Application filed May 15,

My invention is concerned with childrens Collapsible vehicles, and is designed to produce a device of the class 'described that shall be extremely simple and light weight in its '5 construction, and which can be collapsed into a small compass for transportation by hand.

To illustrate my invention, I vannex hereto two sheets of drawings, in which the same reference characters are used to designate 10 identical parts in all the figures, of which,-

Fig 1 is a side elevation of a cart in its extended position;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section in the. same position; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are a top plan view and a sideelevation, respectively, of the cart in its collapsed position.

In carrying out my invention in its preferred form, I employ a front-wheel frame 20 10 and a rear-wheel frame 11, both of which are preferably made of strap metal and are U-shaped in their general outline, and each preferably has an axle 12 secured therein adjacent the cross piece, upon the ends of I- 25 which are journaled the wheels 13 in the customary manner. These front and rear wheel frames 10 and 11 are pivoted together at 14 by rivets, and are. preferably further connected at this point by the transversely-ex- 3e tending seat-supporting bar 15, which has at Ieach end the downwardly projecting ears 16 by which it is pivoted to the wheel frames by the same rivets 14. The upper and forward end of the rear-wheel frame 11' is pref- '35 erably turned upward, as seen at 17,- and is pivoted at 18 to the open ends of the generally U-shaped back-rest frame 19, which is similar in its general construction to the I wheel fram-es, and has its forward Open end e0 turned downward, as at 20, to meet the up- 1929. Serial No. 363,186.

to limit the backward -V movement of the handle 22, so that the front-Wheel frame andV the handle frame can be extended in` a straight line, but not moved any farther back.

To lock the various frames in the lextended u position shown in Figs. 1 and2, I provide a locking means, which preferably consists of bars 26 have formedV therein, near the pivots Y 27, the recesses 31 adapted to receive the f tongues 32 turned over from the` ends of the bars 25 to prevent Vtheir passing a straight line when they are moved into lockingfposition.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the bars 22 ofthe handle frame have formed thereinrthe olfsets 33, and thebars 26 have formed `therein the offsets 34, and the bars 25 have formed therein the olsets 35, so that when the parts are collapsed, as seen .in Fig. 3,.the bars 25 and 26 can be foldedfin lbetween the hack? rest and handle frames. It Will be obvious that, when the toggles are broken, the handle can be swung over anti-clockwise, the pivot 21 acting as a fulcrum and the baclerest frame as the load, with the handle 22 operat` ing as a lever of thesecond class, until the part-s are swung into the position shown in Fig. 4. When the movement is reversed,the parts are extended as shown', and the-toggles being straightened out, the framework 'is securely locked in the position shown.

The seat and back rest are preferably forme-d of an elongated strip of fabrio, which may be doubled as shown, with theupper end of the Acombined seat and back rest forming a loop at 37 overthecrosspieceiof the back-rest frame 19. Another. loop is formed at the other end, yat 38, 'around the cross bar 15, and to lforma rigid yor 'seini.`

-at their lower ends at 43, and to the rearwheel frame at their upper ends at 44. The foot rest is preferably formed of a sheetmetal stamping with the ends thereof turned down, as shown, toform flanges for the reception ofthe rivets 41 and 43. Y

While I have shown and described my invention as embodied in the form which I at present consider best adapted to carry out its purposes, it will be understood that it is capable of some modification, and that I do not desire to be limited in the interpretation of the following Vclaimsexcept as may be necessitated by the state of the prior art.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. Ina device of the class described, the combination with a U-shaped front-wheel frame, of a U-shaped rear-wheel frame pivoted thereto, a U-shaped handle frame pivoted to the open upper end of the front-wheel frame, a horizontal frame pivoted at its open forward end to the open upper end of the rearwheel frame and toward the rear thereof to the handle frame, va seat-supporting bar pivoted by vertically extending ears to the frontwheel and rear-wheel frames at their pivot points, and a seat member secured at its front end to the seat-supporting bar and at its rear end to a transverse portion of one of the frames, said frame being adapted to collapse toward a substantially common and substantially horizontal plane when the handle is swung forwardly.

Y 2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a U-shaped front-wheel frame, of a U-shaped rear-wheel frame pivoted thereto, a U-shaped handle frame pivoted to the open upper end of the front-wheel frame, a horizontal frame pivoted at its open forward end to the open upper end of the rear-wheel frame and toward the rear thereof to the handle frame, a seat-supporting bar pivoted by vertically extending ears to the front-wheel and rear-wheel frames at their pivot points, a seat member secured at its front end to the seat-supporting bar and at its rear end to a transverse portion of one of the frames, and means for locking the parts in their extended position, said frames being adapted to collapse toward a substantially common and substantially horizontal plane when the handle is swung forwardly,

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a U-shaped front-wheel frame, of a U-shaped rear-wheel frame pivoted thereto, a U-shaped handle frame pivoted to the open upper end of the frontwheel frame, a horizontal frame pivoted at its open forward end to thc open upper end of the rear-wheel frame and toward the rear thereof to the handle frame, a seat-supporting bar pivoted by vertically-extending ears to the front-wheel and rear-wheel frames at their pivot points, a seat member secured at its front end to the seat-supporting bar and at its rear end to a transverse portion of one of the frames, and means for locking the parts in their extended position, said means consisting of a toggle joint secured at one end to the handle frame and at the other end to the horizontal frame, said frames being adapted to collapse toward a substantially common and substantially horizontal plane when the handle is swung forwardly.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a U-shaped front-wheel frame, of a U-shaped rear-wheel frame pivoted thereto, a U-shaped handle frame pivoted to the open upper end of the frontwheel frame, a horizontal frame pivoted at its open forward end to the open upper end of the rear-wheel frame and toward the rear thereof to the handle frame, a yseat-supporting bar pivoted by vertically-extending ears to the front-wheel and rear-wheel frames at their pivot points, and a seat member consisting of a strip of iexible material looped at one end about the seat-supporting bar and at the other end about a transverse lportion of one of the frames and having a non-iexible plate therein adjacent the seatesupporting bar, said frames being adapted to collapse toward a substantially common and substantially horizontal plane when the handle is swung forwardly.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a U-shaped front-wheel frame, of a U-shaped rear-whecl frame pivoted thereto, a Ueshaped handle frame pivoted to the open upper end of the frontwheel frame, a horizontal frame pivoted at its open forward end to the open upper end of the rear-wheel frame and toward the rear thereof to the handle frame, a seat-supporting bar pivoted by vertically-extending ears to the front-wheel and rear-wheel frames at their pivot points, a seat member secured at its front end to the seat-supporting bar and at its rear .end to a transverse portion of one of the frames, and a foot rest supported on the front-wheel frame toward the lower end thereof, said frames being adapted to collapse toward a substantially common and substantially horizontal plane when the handle is swung forwardly.

6. In a device of the class described, the Combination with a U-shaped front-wheel `pivot-.points, a seatvniember securedat its front endv to the seat-supporting-bar'fand at "4 swung forwardly.

frame-f, of a U-shaped rear-Wheel Vframepivoted'ftheretog: a U-shap'e'd-handle frame" piv-i oted tothe fopen upper end-of the front-wheel l n i wheel frame; a` horizontal :frame -pivoted at '-1' its Openfforwa'rdend Fto the'openupperendA frame, a horizontal frame pivoted at-its open forwardend-to the' openfupper= end of the'`r` rear-.wheel 4frame and f toward the rearthereL of tothe handle iframe, a seat-supporting-banf vthereofv tothefhandl'eiframe, ya seat-support-vr i` pivotedfby vertically-extending earslto their front-wheel and` rear-wheel frames at :their its rearend toa transverseportion of one of Y' the frames,l a footK rest pivotedl i-n the frontwheel frame toward its lower-end; andlink's connecting-:the footl rest with the' "rear-Wheel* frame, saidframes-being adaptedto collapse`E toward a substantiallycommon and substan-- tially horizontal `V`plane lwhen the 'handle is 7. Ina device of they class described, the combination with a U-shaped front-wheel frame, of a yU-shaped rear-wheel frame pivoted thereto, a U-shaped handle frame pivoted to the open upper end of the front-wheel frame, a horizontal frame pivoted at its open forward end to the open upper end of the rear-Wheel frame and toward the rear thereof to the handle frame, a seat-supporting bar pivoted by vertically-extending ears to the front-wheel and rear-wheel frames at their pivot points, a seat member secured at its front end to the seat-supporting bar and at its rear end to a transverse portion of one of the frames, a foot rest pivoted in the frontwheel frame toward its lower end, and links connecting the foot rest with the rear-wheel frame and extending substantially parallel with the front-wheel frame, said frames being adapted to collapse toward a substantially common and substantially horizontal plane when the handle is swung forwardly.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a U-shapecl front-wheel frame, of a U-shaped rear-wheel frame pivoted thereto, a U-shaped handle frame pivoted to the open upper end of the front-wheel frame, a horizontal frame pivoted at its open forward end to the open upper end of the rear-wheel frame and toward the rear thereof to the handle frame, a seat-supporting bar pivoted by vertically-extending ears tothe front-wheel and rear-wheel frames at their pivot points, a seat member secured at its front end to the seat-supporting bar and at its rear end to a transverse portion of one of the frames, and means for locking the parts in their extended position, said means consisting of a toggle joint secured at one end to the handle frame and at the other end to the horizontal frame, the handle frame having offsets therein so that when the bar is collapsed the folded toggles lies between the horizontal frame and the handle frame.

y 9. In a device of the class described, the combination with a U-shaped front-wheel oted theretogifa U-shapedlhandle franiei pivof the reariwhjeelfraine,andtoward'the rear-'fl ingf bar pivoted byi vertically-extending ears '1 their: pivotpoints, Aandfa 'seat member secured i at itsl'frontf'end to the seat-supportingbarf fand? at its rear Vend-to a transverse portion-of one ofthe "frames, the horizontal f frame'havl ing. its fopen: forward? endA turneddownward'- I Jly andLt-hewrear-wheel frame having-its openr Y upper end turned' 'vertically' upward to meetf '1? the f-open 'forwardEA endl of the" horizontal frame, said.' frames being adapted tocollaps'ef'* toward a substantially f common yand l' 'substan tia-lly horizontalplanef=when the handle is swungforwa'rdly'. f i

10.' In adevice of theclassdescribed,the".'i comb'ii'iation with za U-'shaped -front`wheelyfl ed V`to the'open `fupper end'l of the-- front-wheel frame',- a U-'shap'edhorizontal framepivoted-' at its openfforw'ardend to the open'upp'er end Y of 4'thef rear-fwheel frame 'andf pivoted' inter# mediate-fits'endsfto,the handle frame,'a seat-l sup-porting fbarpivoted'- by' vertically :extend-'f ber secured at its f'ront end tothe seat-'s'up-cf" porting b'ar and vat its 'rear'en'd'tothe'trans-Y verse porti'on of "t'he' horizontalfframe, said. 1fframes being adapted to collapse towarda substantially 'commen and substantiallyihozontalE plane when'y the" handle y is swungfor'- f frame, l a U-shaped horizontal frame'pi'voted at its open-forWardfend-'to the open upper end f of theirear-'wheel frame ian'd pivoted i-nter-`ymediate' its ends to "theE handle `frame, seat-` T supporting-1Cbarffpivoted by f lvertically-YeX-'' tend-ing ears'lto thelfront-'wheel and rear-*` Wheel vframes at theirV pivot' 'poi'ntsfa seat* member secured4 at itsffrontendto th'eseat-fsupportii'i'gfbar andi at its 'rearfendf to 'thetransverse portion iof the" lnirizontal'fraine and means for-locking* the parts in the-ir'eX- tended position, said-frainesfbeing adaptedtoi collapse -t-ow'a'rd' ay substantially common andsubstantially horizontal plane when the handle yis swung forward. l'

l2;- In aA device rof Athe class-rdescribedl, the* combination with `a U-shaped'ffront-wh'e'el frame, of'a U-shaped rear-'wheelframelpivoted'ftheretoj, a U-shapedf'handle 'frainepiv-`v` oted to the open*l upper f end of thej fronti" transverse port-ion of the horizontal frame and having a non-flexib1e plate therein adj acent the seat-supporting bar, said frames being adapted to collapse toward a substantially common and substantially horizontal plane when the handle is swung forwardly.

13. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a U-shaped front-wheel frame, of a U-shaped rear-wheel frame pivoted thereto, Va- U,shaped handle frame pivoted to the open upper end of the frontfwheel frame,` a AU-shaped horizontal frame pivoted at its open forward end to the open upper end of the rear-wheel frame and pivoted intermediate its endsto the handle frame, a seat-supporting bar pivoted by vertically eX- tending Vears to the front-wheel and rearvwheel framesfat their Vpivot points, a seat member secured at its front end to the seatvsupportingbar and at its rear end to the transverse portion of the horizontal frame, and a footI rest supported on the front-wheel frame toward the lower end thereof, said frames being adapted to collapse toward a substantially common and substantially horizont-al plane when the handle is swung forward. f

14. In a device vof the class described, the combination with `a U-shaped front-wheel frame, of a Ushaped rear-wheel frame pivoted thereto, a U-shaped'handle frame pivoted to the .open upper end of the frontwheel frame, a U-shaped horizontal frame pivoted at its open forward end to the open upper end of the rear-wheel frame and pivoted intermedite its ends to the handle frame, a seat-supporting bar pivoted by vertically extending ears to the front-wheel and rear-wheelframes at their pivot points, a seatmember secured at its frontend to the seat-supporting bar and at its rear end to the transverse portion of the horizontal frame,

a foot VVrest pivoted in the front-wheel frame.

toward its lower end, and links connecting the foot rest with the rear-wheel frame, said frames 'being adapted to collapse toward a substantially common and substantially horizontal planevwhen the handle is swung for# ward.

- 15. In a device of the class described, the combination with a U-shaped front-wheel frame, of a Ueshaped rear-Wheel frame pivoted thereto, a U-shaped handle frame pivoted to the open upper end of the frontwheel frame, a U-shaped horizontal framev pivoted at its open forward end to the open upper end of the rear-wheel frame and pivoted intermediate its ends to the handle frame, a seat-supporting bar pivoted by vertically extending ears to the front-wheel and rear-,wheel frames at their pivot points, a seat member secured at its front end to the seat-supporting bar and at its rear end to the transverse portion of the horizontal frame, and means forv locking the parts in their extended position, said means consistof a toggle joint secured at one end to the handle frame and at the other end to the horizontal frame, the handle frame having oli'- sets therein so that when the bar is collapsed the folded toggle lies between the horizontal frame and the handle frame.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of May, 1929.

REINHARDT H. BROWN. 

